Book details of 'Windows Nt Security: A Practical Guide to Securing Windows Nt Servers and Workstations (McGraw-Hill Ncsa Guides)'

Title	Windows Nt Security: A Practical Guide to Securing Windows Nt Servers and Workstations (McGraw-Hill Ncsa Guides)
Author(s)	Charles B. Rutstein
ISBN	0070578338
Language	English
Published	April 1997
Publisher	Computing McGraw-Hill

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Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Windows NT provides a number of tools and functions for securing the system and workstation. Security is also going to mean different things to different people and work environments. This book will help users and new administrators make the system more secure, but there is much ground left uncovered. Chapter one is a basic overview of the NT security architecture. There are some, but relatively few, specifics. The material also tends to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt in a number of areas. For example, the fact that the source code for NT is not available is held in many quarters to be a potential security risk, since the system cannot be fully examined. While nobody can deny Microsoft's right to withhold the source for business reasons, the author dismisses this security argument as "completely without merit." The User Manager application is covered in chapter two. While all functions are mentioned, not all implications are fully explained. While implying that it is the case, the author stops short of stating that if access rights are denied by one control they will not be granted because of others. Coverage of file and file system security, in chapter three, is not very clear. The material on viruses is technically sound, but not necessarily immediately helpful. Event logs are discussed briefly in chapter four but probably deserve more space. Chapter five not only looks at the Registry itself, but lists a number of keys to be set. Again, the brief discussions do not provide full information on the implications of these choices. Although all the topics in chapter six do have to do with network security, they are otherwise rather randomly grouped. Not all the sections even have to do with NT. Also, there is, again, some not altogether justified promotion of Microsoft, and some questionable recommendations. (The suggestion to rename the administrator account is fairly standard, but the renamed account may still be vulnerable to attack because of identification of the security ID.) Chapter seven looks at RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) and UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supplies) and it is surprising that it doesn't mention backups. Remote Access Service (RAS) is reviewed in chapter eight, but while recommendations are made the full significance of the advice is not given. Generic advice on Internet service provision is given in chapter nine. Not all of the guidance makes a lot of sense, such as the discussion of passwords in regard to anonymous ftp accounts. The book does cover a lot more security ground than most general NT administration texts. Some convoluted areas of NT security are explored to a certain extent, and there are a number of helpful pieces of information. Security, however, is a complex undertaking, and requires a more thorough and rigorous background understanding than this book provides. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998
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Book description:

Although Windows NT is the first mainstream desktop operating system to put security first, confusion remains about how to harness its full potential. This authoritative guide provides essential information on how to tap the sophisticated security capabilities of the Windows NT Operating System. Written by one of the world's foremost systems experts and cosponsored by the National Computer Security Association (NCSA), it succinctly addresses how to design and administer secure NT networks-including setting up, using, and managing security within NT workstation and server-and securely integrating some of the most popular NT server add-ons, such as Microsoft NT BackOffice. Making existing NT networks more secure is also covered. The book's pragmatic advice on designing secure NT networks can be applied to small, medium, and large organizations. With Windows NT expected to become the preferred desktop OS for client/server in the next few years, the market for this practical resource is large and growing.